RJD-Congress seat sharing update: The dates of Bihar Assembly elections are coming closer, but the issue of seat sharing in the Grand Alliance has not been resolved yet. The tussle over assembly seats between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which is leading the Grand Alliance, and the Congress has increased even more. According to sources, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is completely adamant on his offer. On the other hand, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has given clear instructions to Bihar Congress leaders to ‘bargain hard’ for seats and not give up strong seats easily. The important meeting of the top leaders of both the parties in Delhi also remained inconclusive, due to which clouds of crisis are looming over the alliance.
Tejashwi’s stance is strict, returns to Patna without meeting
According to sources, Tejashwi Yadav bluntly told the Congress leaders that the alliance cannot move forward in the current situation. After this, Tejashwi left the meeting saying only ‘we will see and answer’. Surprisingly, he returned to Patna without meeting Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Here, in Patna, even before the seat sharing formula was finalized, Lalu Yadav started distributing the symbol of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). However, it was later said that upon Tejashwi’s return, the symbols were taken back from him. This step shows that RJD wants to strengthen its hold in the alliance.
The biggest problem is stuck on these 5 seats
According to the information, RJD is ready to fulfill Congress’s demand of 61 seats, but Congress is demanding some strong seats, which Lalu’s party is not ready to give at any cost. The seats where the biggest problem is involved include Kahalgaon, Narkatiaganj, Warisaliganj, Chainpur and Bachhwara assembly seats.
Kahalgaon: This has been a stronghold of the Congress, where it was in control nine times till 2015.
Narkatiaganj: This seat has a high Muslim population and due to social equations, Congress has a keen eye on it.
Warisaliganj: Congress had lost here by a close margin in 2020, so it wants to get it back.
Except Chainpur and Bachhwara, consensus could not be reached on the remaining seats.
Tejaswi alert about Sahani
Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, also seems to be cautious about the activities of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and its founder Mukesh Sahni. RJD sources believe that Tejashwi feels that Mukesh Sahni is not trustworthy and is demanding more. A major reason for Tejashwi’s displeasure is said to be that Sahni has already given party symbols on 10 strong seats of RJD, which is creating confusion. There was also talk that Sahni was lobbying with BJP. However, in the meeting of Congress and RJD, Congress leaders have completely left the decision of keeping VIP in the alliance or not to Tejashwi.
Rahul’s clear instructions: ‘Don’t lose seats’
In a recent meeting with Bihar Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi had left the entire responsibility of bargaining on seats on them. He had given clear instructions to the party’s Bihar leadership that such seats should not be left where the party can perform well. Rahul Gandhi had bluntly said that whether the seats are 60 or something else, it is important to avoid a situation in which a large number of seats have to be lost.
Congress’s Plan-B and proposal of ’65 seats’
In case of not getting a positive response from RJD, Congress has also prepared Plan B. After talking to Kharge, Congress leaders have proposed to him that if there is an exit of VIP from the Grand Alliance, then the Congress seats should be increased to at least 65. Congress is ready to compromise on 61 to 63 seats, but has also drawn a line that it will not accept a list full of weak or leftover seats. According to a senior Congress leader, the party has identified 51 strong seats where it is confident of achieving 50 per cent strike rate. Now the ball is in RJD’s court.
